Retro-stud

ABSTRACT

A solid bar with fabrications, namely, eye-holes for coupling strings to the bar, markings or threaded nuts etc. placed on the bar, for the purpose of placement and anchoring of the bar on the back-surface of a wall or a ceiling, so that an item can be fastened to drywall incorporating the bar as a concealed part of the support, thus significantly strengthening the support to withstand the weight of the item and/or the tension away from its fasteners during its use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a device useful for attaching any item strongly anddurably to drywall. It is a stud capable of being attached firmly to theback surface of the drywall—the material for walls or ceilings of thehouses. Thus it fortifies the wall/ceiling, making it capable ofsupporting items that are heavy or that are routinely subjected totension away from their fasteners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

Since the 1920s houses have commonly employed drywalls for makinginterior walls and ceilings. For the purpose of making the interiorwalls, the drywalls are supported by 2×4 vertical wooden studs that arespaced 16 inches apart. Many items are attached to or hung from thesewalls and ceilings, and some of these items add to the décor of therooms. Pictures, paintings, curtains, mirrors, shelves, planters, andmany other examples abound. A number of items like shower curtain rods,toilet paper holders, wall-desks etc. are placed on these drywalls forspecific functions. These functional items often involve tensions inaddition to the gravitational one, for example, being pulled away orjerked from the attachment.

The drywalls are made of rather soft materials. They can be easily cuteven with a plastic knife or easily pierced with ordinary push-pins. Theusual thickness of the drywalls is only a half of an inch. In many olderhouses it is even thinner. Because of the intrinsically low strength andthe small thickness, drywalls cannot support any item strongly.Therefore, if the item is heavy or requires stability against pullingetc. it should ideally be attached to an existing wooden stud.

The precise position of an item on the wall or ceiling is stronglydictated by many considerations, like aesthetics, décor, functionalityetc., rather than by the availability of a stud. Even in the cases wherea wooden stud is at the right place, difficulty arises due to problemswith finding this stud behind the drywall.

Currently the available remedies for these problems are

1. Stud sensors

2. plastic anchors

3. Drywall screws

4. metal anchors

5. Toggle bolts

6. External wood/metal bar fastened to existing studs

Each of these systems presents new problems. Some provide weaker thanoptimal support. Their installation and operation etc. are also plaguedwith problems that lead to consumer frustration. Complaints regardingthese systems are common even from individuals who are consideredexperts in home improvement. The specific problems with each of thesesystems are described in detail below.

1. Stud Sensors

The stud sensors can be laser-guided, electronic or simply mechanical.However, even the sophisticated stud sensors often give faulty signals.The user routinely finds that there is no stud behind the spot indicatedby the sensor. Even when a stud is sensed correctly, the user has toguess about the center of the stud and often places the screw/anchor atan unacceptable edge of the stud, resulting in a very weak support.Finally, even the perfect stud sensor is of no use if the appropriatespot for the item is significantly away from the existing studs of thehouse.

2. Plastic Anchors

Since plastic is stronger than the material of drywall, it is hoped thatwhen embedded in the drywall the plastic anchor bolts add to thestrength of the support. These anchors involve drilling a hole in thedrywall with a drill. The anchor is then hammered into this hole. Theanchor has a through-hole designed to accommodate a threaded fastener.An item held by this threaded fastener is still really being supportedby the drywall only. The same stress that could bring the item downusually brings down the anchor bolt and with it, the item itself.

Regarding these anchor bolts, West et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,786 onFeb. 13, 2001 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,779 on Mar. 12, 2002) addressedthe problem associated with the hole. Making a hole with a drill carriesthe risk of drilling a hole that is too wide to snugly hold the anchorbolt. The self drilling anchor bolt of West et al. eliminates the needfor using a drill. The real advantage of this device is that the hole isof the right size and therefore the anchor is installed perfectly everytime. However, it does not even address the issue that the anchor isstill a very weak support.

3. Drywall Screws

The Grip+® Drywall screws have specially designed grooves for improvedstrength of grabbing the drywall material. In practice, this device alsoadds only a little strength to the support. Even light items supportedby these screws come off the wall in a short period of time if they areregularly subjected to a certain amount of tension, any kind of movementor if they are accidentally hit by anything. Only the ugly hole on thewall persists.

4. Metal Anchors

The superiority of these metal anchors, for example, Wej-It Acorn NutSleeve Anchors, lies in the amount of the drywall material involved inthe support. These anchors have metal strips that are designed to bebent into prongs. The prongs can lock and thus fix a nut against theback-surface of the wall/ceiling. The strength of support comes not fromthe metal, but from the fact that the fully extended prongs grab alarger area and therefore a larger amount of the drywall material thanthat grabbed by plastic anchors or drywall screws.

The surface area of the Retro-Stud is always larger than that spanned bythe fully extended prongs. Therefore Retro-Stud can provide muchstronger support than these anchors. Moreover, it is difficult toinstall these anchors.

The force needed for bending the metal strips into prongs is applied bypulling a nut as a bolt is screwed into the nut. Therefore, installationof this system involves bending of strong metal strips while being at aconsiderable disadvantage of having to apply the force indirectly.Consequently, it involves a very large amount of force. Most users findit significantly difficult to manually install these anchors on adrywall.

If one uses an electrical bolt-driver to apply the force, one is proneto apply excessive force that results in drilling the entire stem of theanchor through the drywall. The entire nut/bolt falls off behind thedrywall and is lost forever. The user gets no support in the desiredspot. Instead he or she gets only an unsightly hole at that position.Once this happens, the hole is too big for using another anchor at orvery near that spot.

5. Toggle Bolts

A toggle bolt is equipped with a folding anchor that has a nut in themiddle. The folded anchor can be passed through a small hole. Itspontaneously opens up behind the drywall. As the bolt is fullytightened, the opened anchor firmly locks itself against theback-surface of the drywall.

This system requires an ordinary amount of force for installation. It isuseful for attaching a hook that is usually a part of the bolt itself.Consequently, the system is useful for items that can be hung from ahook.

However, most of the household items need attachment directly with thebolt. For these purposes, these bolts and anchors need to be properlymounted at the fastening-points of the item before the folded anchorsare passed through the drywall. Except for very light and very compactitems, locking of the anchor while the item is coupled with system is avery inconvenient process. Therefore this system is impractical for mostitems.

Also, after the item is installed the bolts must remain screwed. If, forany reason, for example, any readjustment in the item, a bolt iscompletely unscrewed, the anchor falls off and the support is lost.Since many items require multiple bolts, one has to undo the remainingbolts as well and repeat the inconvenient procedure described above.

The anchor must pass through a hole whose diameter must be smaller thanthe length of the opened anchor. Otherwise it will not be locked againstthe back-surface of the drywall. If the condition of the drywall/ceilingis compromised by damage or prior handling, it may not be possible tohave a small enough hole for this purpose.

6. External Wood/Metal Bar Fastened to Existing Studs

Sometimes an item has dimensions larger than 16″. Often the fasteningpoints of these items do not fall on existing studs. In such cases, onecan locate the precise positions of an existing stud or studs that fallwithin the frame of the base of the item. Then one can place a longwooden or metal bar on the drywall surface and fasten it to the existingstud or studs. Such an external bar provides strong support along itsentire length. The item can be durably fastened at the desired fasteningpoints on the external bar.

A large item fastened in the above manner can conceal the bar. However,due to its thickness the external bar forces the item to have asignificant and undesirable gap from the wall. Also, a small itemfastened at some point or points along the length of the external barleaves significant portion of the bar exposed which is highlyundesirable. Of course, the problems described above with precisefinding of the existing studs add to the disadvantages.

Patent Search

Search for drywall anchors has yielded several other devices besides thetwo mentioned above. These are U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,988 to Ratliff onJul. 26, 2005, U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,034 to Diedrichsen on Dec. 30, 2003,U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,233 to Shaner on Jun. 18, 2002, U.S. Pat. No.6,357,608 to Timm on Mar. 19, 2002, U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,560 to Timm onJul. 4, 2002, U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,903 to Peterson II on Aug. 18, 1998,U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,129 to Lyons on Jun. 23, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No.4,953,261 to Lyons on Sep. 4, 1990. However all of these involveexternal anchors for items like towel bar, closet shelves, free-standingfurniture etc. The Retro-Stud acts as a concealed internal anchor for awide variety of items that are supported directly on the wall or fromthe ceiling. Therefore, a discussion of these patents is not relevant tothis invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

The object of Retro-Stud is to provide a strong and durable support forany item on the drywall. It is free from the above-mentioneddisadvantages that are associated with the other devices for the samepurpose. It is a bar designed to be attached to the back-surface of adrywall. Both the material of the bar and its size are factors thatcontribute to the strength of fastening to the drywall. Any itemattached to a properly installed Retro-Stud is much more stable than itwould have been if it were attached to the drywall alone.

It eliminates the need for having an existing stud for fastening anitem. There is no need to look for the stud with a stud sensor. There isno risk of drilling a hole unnecessarily on the drywall because thesensor has spuriously indicated a stud.

The bar of the Retro-Stud is equipped with accessories so that it can beeasily placed behind the drywall through a small opening. The user ofthe Retro-Stud does not need to struggle to bend strong metal strips aswith the Wej-It Acorn Nut Sleeve Anchor.

The accessories allow the bar to be manipulated and oriented as desiredbehind the wall/ceiling. Thus the Retro-Stud is a “custom” stud on thewall/ceiling. As such, it can be used for attaching the item anywhere onthe drywall in any orientation. Thus the “Retro-Stud” easily meets thedemands of aesthetics or décor of the room or functionality of the itemwithout compromising the strength of the support.

The area of cross-section of the opening needed for placing theRetro-Stud is very small. Also the entire bar is placed behind thedrywall. Therefore Retro-Stud is completely concealed even with verysmall items. The gap between the item and the wall can be extremelysmall, if desired.

The Retro-Stud can be completely attached to the back-surface of thewall without first being coupled to the item. Thus there is no need fora bulky item to dangle from the bolts etc. as the user installs theRetro-Stud.

If one needs to fasten an item on the drywall that is damaged andtherefore has a large pre-existing hole, a Retro-Stud can be useful. Thediameter formed by the fully extended prongs of Wej-It Acorn Nut SleeveAnchor and the length of the fully-expanded wing of the toggle bolt areless than inch. Therefore, these two devices are useless on a drywallwith any damage.

Retro-Studs, on the other hand, are fairly long and can very easily bemade to any desired length. Consequently, regardless of how large thedamaged area of the drywall is, one can always find a sufficiently longRetro-Stud that can be properly installed using the intact part of thewall. Thus one can securely fasten a large item on the wall to cover thedamaged wall. The only requirement that must be fulfilled is that thearea of the base of the item must be larger than the area of the damageon the wall.

If the use of the “Retro-Stud” is discontinued and the item is detached,the appearance of the drywall can be easily restored because the openingis very small. In some cases the Retro-Stud can be held behind thedrywall permanently for repeated use.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent froma consideration of the drawings and ensuring description.

SUMMARY

The Retro-Stud is an additional stud on the wall. It can be firmlyplaced behind the drywall at any desired spot that lacks an existingstud. It is placed through a very small opening that is almost alwayscovered by the base of the item fastened to it. Thus it provides astrong and concealed support, at the desired spot/area on the drywallfor items that are significantly heavy and/or require stability againstmovement.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: illustrates a prototypical embodiment of this invention

FIG. 1A: illustrates RM—metal bar with fabrication—a specific embodimentof this invention

FIG. 1B: illustrates RS10—wooden bar with fabrication—another embodimentof this invention

FIG. 1C: illustrates RS20—wooden bar with fabrication—a third embodimentof this invention

FIG. 1D: illustrates RS30—wooden bar with fabrication—a fourthembodiment of this invention

FIG. 2A: illustrates T10—template for cutting an opening just largeenough for passing the bars RM or RS10 through the drywall

FIG. 2B: illustrates T20—template for cutting an opening just largeenough for passing the bar RS20 through the drywall

FIG. 2C: illustrates T30—template for cutting an opening just largeenough for passing the bar RS30 through the drywall

FIG. 3: illustrates a washer assembly (WA) consisting of 2differently-sized flat metal washers connected together

FIG. 4A: shows an opening on the drywall at the desired position made byusing template T10. The suitable positions for the push-pins are alsoshown in this figure.

FIG. 4B: shows an opening on the drywall at the desired position madeusing template T20. Also shown in this figure are a) the fasteningpoints for the item; b) the lines joining the fastening points and c)the suitable positions for the push-pins.

FIG. 4C: shows an opening on the drywall at the desired position madeusing template T30. Also shown in this figure are a) the fasteningpoints for the item; b) the lines joining the fastening points and c)the suitable positions for the push-pins.

FIG. 5A: illustrates passing of RM through the opening on drywall. TheRS10 has the same dimensions as RM and involves the same opening asshown in this figure.

FIG. 5B: illustrates passing of RS20 through the opening on the drywall.The RS30 involves similar opening and maneuvers as the RS20.

FIG. 6A: shows RM anchored on one side of the opening. Anchoring of RS10is similar to this representation.

FIG. 6B: shows RS20 anchored on one side of the opening. The RS20 may bemisaligned as shown in this figure. If so, it is important to align thebar with the line on the wall. Anchoring of RS30 is similar to thisrepresentation.

FIG. 6C: shows RS20 after alignment and before being fully anchored.Aligning of RS30 is similar to this representation.

FIG. 7A: shows fully anchored RM. This can also depict the correspondingsituation with RS10.

FIG. 7B: shows fully anchored RS20

FIG. 7C: shows fully anchored RS30

FIG. 8A: shows positions where the strings of RM or RS10 should be cutafter fastening the item

FIG. 8B: shows positions where the strings of RS20 should be cut afterfastening the item that involves multiple fastening points that fall ina single line

FIG. 9A: shows fastening points arranged in a rectangle when the base ofthe item is rectangular

FIG. 9B: shows fastening points arranged in a rectangle when the base ofthe item is circular

FIG. 9C: shows fastening points arranged in a triangle (the base of theitem can be oval, triangular or any other shape)

FIG. 10A: shows an obstruction in the path of RS30. It also shows how tochoose dummy fastening-points for lines that have to be split because ofobstruction. This can occur in the case of RS20 as well, but much lessfrequently. The same considerations apply to RS20 in the same situation

FIG. 10B: shows how to choose dummy fastening-points whenfastening-point is a vertex of a triangle

FIG. 11: shows attachment of washer assembly on the line joining twofastening points

FIG. 12: shows the points where string should be cut after attaching atleast 2 washer assemblies to the RS 20 or RS30

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   40 Metal bar RM of predetermined length, width and thickness;        with a threaded nut in a specific position. 2 strings are        threaded through the bar with the 2 pairs of string-ends 48 and        50 hanging from the bar (FIG. 1A)    -   42 Wooden bar RS10 of predetermined length, width and thickness.        2 strings are threaded through the bar with the 2 pairs of        string-ends 48 and 50 hanging from the bar (FIG. 1B)    -   44 Wooden bar RS20 of yet another predetermined length, width        and thickness. 2 strings are threaded through the bar with the 2        pairs of string-ends 48 and 50 hanging from the bar. A line 56        marks the longitudinal axis of the front-surface of the bar        (FIG. 1C)    -   46 Wooden bar RS30 of yet another predetermined length, width        and thickness. 2 strings are threaded through the bar with the 2        pairs of string-ends 48 and 50 hanging from the bar. A line 57        marks the longitudinal axis of the front-surface of the bar.        (FIG. 1D)    -   47 Eye holes at 4 specific positions of each bar (40, 42, 44, or        46) for threading the 2 strings.    -   48 String-ends coming out of the pair of eye-holes that falls on        the right side of the bar when the bar is held with its        longitudinal axis in horizontal orientation    -   50 String-ends coming out of the eye-holes on the other side of        the bar    -   51 Template for opening on drywall for use with bar 40 or 42        (FIG. 2A)    -   52 Template for opening of dimensions suitable for use with bar        44 (FIG. 2B)    -   53 Template for opening of dimensions suitable for use with bar        46 (FIG. 2C)    -   54 Mid-line of template 52 along its longitudinal axis    -   55 Mid-line of template 53 along its longitudinal axis    -   56 Center-line of bar 44 along its longitudinal axis    -   57 Center-line of bar 46 along its longitudinal axis    -   59 Washer assembly (FIG. 3)    -   60 Smaller hole in washer assembly 59    -   62 Larger hole in washer assembly 59    -   64 Opening on the dry wall made using template 51    -   68 Drywall surface    -   70 Point where the item is to be fastened on the drywall with a        single-point Retro-Stud    -   72 Point on the drywall surface on one side of the opening and        near the string-ends 48    -   74 Point on the drywall surface on the other side of opening and        near the string-ends 50    -   76 Push pin on the same side of opening as point 72    -   78 Push pin on the same side of opening as point 74    -   80 Base of the item    -   82 Points where string should be cut    -   84 Fastening-points involved in fastening an item with multiple        fasteners. These points are equivalent to the point 70 which is        involved in fastening an item at a single point    -   86 Dummy fastening-points. These are required only for attaching        the bar 44 or 46. These points are not involved in fastening the        item.    -   88 Line joining fastening-points involving either 84 s or an 84        and an 86 and    -   89 Mid-point of the line 88    -   90 Existing 2 by 4 stud of the house or any other material that        obstructs placement of the bar 44 or 46    -   92 Opening made by using template 52. The mid-line 54 of the        template is aligned with line 88 on the wall for cutting this        opening    -   94 Opening made by using template 53. The mid-line 55 of the        template is aligned with line 88 on the wall for cutting this        opening    -   96 Point of intersection of the diagonals of the cross-section        of the opening 64 (eye-estimation is sufficient for locating        this point)    -   97 Point of intersection of the diagonals of the cross-section        of the opening 92 (eye-estimation is sufficient for locating        this point)    -   98 Point of intersection of the diagonals of the cross-section        of the opening 94 (eye-estimation is sufficient for locating        this point)    -   100 Screw or bolt head        Operation

Currently the Retro-Stud kit includes 4 choices of the bars. Selectionof the most suitable bar depends on the dimensions of the item and themode of fastening. Some accessories are useful for the installation.Accordingly, the kit includes the following:

1. bar 40

2. bar 42

3. bar 44

4. bar 46

5. template S1

6. template 52

7. template 53

8. push-pins 76, 78

9. machine bolt MB

10. washer assembly (WA) 59 multiple pieces

11. wood screws WS

12. chart for pilot hole sizes

Further tools and materials that may be required are:

1. drill

2. drill bits

3. screw driver

4. utility knife (with small edge for cutting drywall & strings)

5. drywall

6. fix-all (for patching)

7. putty knife/trowel

8. texture in a can

9. paint

10. paint brush

Caution: protective eye-wear is recommended for installation of theRetro-Stud

Single-point Retro-Stud: (for fastening, at a single point, an item witha base diameter larger than ½″ or base length and width larger than ½″each)

Step 1A: Select the desired point 70 on the drywall where the itemshould be fastened. If point 70 falls on an existing stud, the bar ofthis invention cannot be mounted. However, in that case, it is also notneeded.

Step 2A: Using template 51 cut opening 64 on the drywall such that point96 approximately coincides with point 70. Choose 2 points 74 and 72,each about 2-3″ away from opposite edges of opening 64 (FIG. 4A)

Step 3A: If the item is suitable for fastening with the machine bolt MB,use bar 40 (If not, go to step 3B) Firmly holding string-ends 48 and 50with one hand align bar 40 along the diagonal of opening 64 and slip bar40 through this opening behind the drywall. (FIG. 5A)

Step 4A: Insert the shaft of push-pin 76 halfway on the drywall at point72. Tightly wrap string-ends 48 a few times around the shaft of pin 76while holding string-ends 50 tautly. Press pin 76 firmly down into thedrywall, gently tapping with a hammer, if necessary. (FIG. 6A)

Step 5A: if necessary, orient bar 40 by pulling/tugging with string-ends50 and guiding bar 40 with the tip of a small screw driver such that bar40 covers the opening completely. This insures that the threaded nut onbar 40 is at the center of the opening 64. Insert pin 78 halfway on thedrywall at point 74. Tightly wrap string-ends 50 around the pin 78 a fewtimes before pushing pin 78 all the way into the dry wall, therebyanchoring the bar firmly behind the drywall. Let excess lengths of thestrings hang from both push pins (FIG. 7A)

Step 6A: Fasten your item to bar 40 with the machine bolt (MB) using ascrew driver. Caution: MB must go through the bar 40. If the item isunusually thick, a bolt with the appropriate thread and of appropriatelength should be used instead of MB.

Step 7A: Cut the strings at the margin of the base of the item. (FIG.8A). Remove the push pins and excess string from the wall. Patch the twopinholes created by the push pins, if desired. (Note: using an exactoknife at an angle, the string can be cut behind the base of the itemslightly before the item is fastened completely. This will conceal thestring. Finish tightening the bolt after cutting the string)

Step 3B: Firmly holding string-ends 48 and 50 with one hand align bar 42along the diagonal of opening 64 and slip bar 42 through this openingbehind the drywall in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 5A.

Step 4B: Insert the shaft of pin 76 halfway on the drywall at point 72.Tightly wrap string-ends 48 a few times around the pin while holdingstring-ends 50 tautly. Press pin 76 firmly down into the drywall in amanner similar to that shown in FIG. 6A.

Step 5B: if necessary, orient bar 42 by pulling/tugging with string-ends50 and guiding bar 42 with the tip of a small screw driver such that bar42 covers the opening completely. This insures that point 70 coincidesfairly well with point 96. Insert pin 78 halfway on the drywall at point74. Tightly wrap string-ends 50 on the shaft of pin 78 a few timesbefore pushing pin 78 all the way into the dry wall, thereby anchoringthe bar 42 firmly behind the drywall in a manner similar to that shownin FIG. 7A. Let excess lengths of the strings hang from both push pins.

Step 6B: Select a suitable wood screw. It must be long enough to goacross the base of the item, the opening 64 and the entire thickness ofbar 42. Drill the appropriately-sized pilot hole on bar 42 at thedesired point 96. Fasten your item to bar 42 using a screw driver.

Step 7B: Cut the strings at the margin of the base of the item (in amanner similar to that shown in FIG. 8A) Remove the push pins and excessstring from the wall. Patch the two pinholes created by the push pins,if desired.

(Note: using an exacto knife at an angle, the strings can be cut behindthe base of the item slightly before the item is fastened completely.This will conceal the string. Finish tightening the screw after cuttingthe string)

Multiple-Point Bars: (For Fastening an Item with 2 or MoreFastening-Points)

Step 1C: With a pencil, lightly mark all of the fastening points 84.

Step 2C: Lightly draw lines 88 through each pair of fastening-points. Aline 88 can include more than 2 points only if all of them fall on thesame straight line of a length that is shorter than the length of thebar used for fastening. A bar of appropriate length is needed for eachline. An item will involve multiple lines and therefore will requireseveral multiple-point bars if:

a) the fastening points 84 are arranged in a circle or a triangle or arectangle (FIG. 9A, B, C) and/or

b) the line is longer than the length of the available bar, and/or

c) the line crosses an existing stud or similar obstruction behind thedrywall. The stud/obstruction may be found when the bar is rotatedbehind the drywall for orienting it along the line 88. In such cases,split the line into two with one line 88 on each side of thestud/obstruction. (FIG. 10A).

(Note: Obstructions like insulating fibers etc. can be easily removed.It is better to remove them, in which case they need not be consideredas obstructions).

Such split lines or any other line going through a vertex of a triangleinvolve only one real fastening-point 84. Therefore, each of themrequires a dummy fastening-point 86. Choose the dummy fastening-point 86a suitable distance away from the real fastening-point 84 in a directionsuch that point 86 falls within the base of the item. Draw a lineconnecting the point 84 and the corresponding dummy fastening-point 86.(FIG. 10A, B)

Install a bar of appropriate length for each line 88.

Installation of Bar 44: If the Line 88 is Shorter by at Least 1 Inchthan the Length of Bar 44 Use the Bar 44. (If not, use Bar 46 and go toStep 3D)

Step 3C: Place template 52 on the drywall such that the mid-line 54falls of line 88 and the point 97 falls on point 89. Cut the opening 92.Extend the line mentally, or by placing a ruler along the line andchoose a point 72 on one side of opening 92 such that point 72 fallsoutside the base of the item. Choose point 74 similarly on the oppositeside of opening 92. (FIG. 4B)

Step 4C: Firmly holding string-ends 48 and 50 with one hand slip the bar44 through the opening 92 behind the drywall. (FIG. 5B) It will benecessary to place the bar 44 obliquely (not perpendicularly) into theopening and push it in the direction that offers more room behind thedrywall. An existing stud or similar obstructions can limit this room,especially if the line 88 is horizontal. For a vertical or inclined line88 this type of obstruction will arise rarely. Even for the horizontallines, the obstruction limits the room on only one side of the opening92.

Step 5C: Insert the shaft of pin 76 at point 72 halfway on the drywall.Tightly wrap string-ends 48 a few times around the shaft of pin 76 whileholding string-ends 50 tautly with the other hand. Press pin 76 firmlydown all the way. (FIG. 6B)

Step 6C: Orient bar 44 by pulling/tugging with string-ends 50 whileguiding it with the tip of a small screw driver so that the center-line56 is aligned with the line 88 on the drywall (FIG. 6C). Insert theshaft of pin 78 at point 74. Tightly wrap string-end 50 on the shaft ofpin 78 a few times. Push the pin 78 all the way down firmly, therebyanchoring bar 44 firmly on the wall while insuring that its orientationis maintained (FIG. 7B). Allow the excess lengths of strings hang fromboth push pins.

If the item does not involve any other line, go to Step 7C. Otherwise goto Step 7D.

Step 7C: Choose suitable wood screws for fastening the item. The lengthof the screw must cover the entire thicknesses of 1. base of the item80, 2. the drywall 68, and 3. the bar 44. Drill appropriate pilot holesat the fastening points 84. Fasten the item to the bar 44 using a screwdriver.(FIG. 8B)

Step 8C: Cut the strings at the margin of the base of the item 80. (FIG.8B) Remove the pins 76 and 78 and excess string from the wall. Patch thetwo pinholes created by the pins, if desired.

(Note: using an exacto knife at an angle, the strings can be cut behindthe base 80 of the item slightly before the item is fastened completely.This will conceal the string. Finish tightening the screw after cuttingthe string.)

Installation of the Bar 46

Step 3D: Place template 53 on the drywall such that the mid-line 55falls of line 88 and the point 98 falls on point 89. Cut the opening 94.Choose a point 72 on the line 88 and 2-3 inches away from the nearestedge of the opening 94. Choose point 74 similarly on the opposite sideof opening 94. (FIG. 4C)

Step 4D: Firmly holding string ends 48 and 50 with one hand slip the bar46 through the opening 94 behind the drywall in a manner similar to thatshown for bar 44 in FIG. 5B. It will be necessary to place the bar 46obliquely (not perpendicularly) into the opening 94 and push it in thedirection that offers more room behind the drywall. An existing stud orsimilar obstructions can limit this room, especially if the line 88 ishorizontal. For a vertical or inclined line 88 this type of obstructionwill arise rarely. Even for the horizontal lines, the obstruction limitsthe room only one side of the opening 94.

Step 5D: Insert the shaft of pin 76 at the point 72 halfway on thedrywall. Tightly wrap the string-ends 48 a few times around the shaft ofpin 76 while holding the string-ends 50 tautly with the other hand.Press the pin 76 firmly down all the way as in FIG. 6B.

Step 6D: Orient the bar 46 by pulling/tugging with string-ends 50 whileguiding it with the tip of a small screw driver so that the center-line56 is aligned with the line 88 on the drywall. Insert the shaft of pin78 at the point 74. Tightly wrap the string-ends 50 on the shaft of pin78 a few times. Push the pin 78 all the way down firmly, therebyanchoring the bar 46 firmly on the wall while insuring that itsorientation is maintained (FIG. 7C). Allow the excess lengths of thestrings hang freely.

Step 7D: installation of washer-assembly (WA) 59-WA 59 is almost alwaysrequired on the bar 46. It is also required on the bar 44 if the line 88is part of multiple lines and is short enough to be covered by bar 44.(refer to Steps 3C-6C if you are using the bar 44 and need to installthe WA 59 on it)

Place the WA 59 with the hole 62 centered at the fastening-point 84 or86 on the line 88 (FIG. 11). Drill 5/64″ pilot hole through the hole 60.Screw the 11/4″ drywall screw through the hole 60 and across thedrywall.

Step 8D: Repeat Step 7D for all of the fastening-points 84 and dummyfastening-points 86. After attaching at least 2 WA's 59 in this manner,remove pins 76 and 78. Cut the strings at the edges of the openings 92or 94 (FIG. 12) and remove them. Patch the openings 92 and 94 and thepinholes created by the pins 76 and 78, if desired.

Step 9D: Follow Steps 3D-8D for each of bar 46 and Steps 3C-6C & 7D-8Dfor each of bar 44 that is needed for the same item.

If the item is to be fastened directly on the wall through screws, seebelow. If, on the other hand the item is to be supported with screws,anchors or hooks go to Step 11D.

Step 10D: Choose the suitable screws. The lengths of these screws mustspan the entire thicknesses of 1. the base 80 of the item, 2. thedrywall 68, and 3. the bar 44 or the bar 46. Drill appropriate pilotholes through the hole 62 of the WA 59 at the fastening-points 84 (nopilot hole is needed through hole 62 at a dummy fastening-point 86).Fasten the item with the screws through holes 62.

Step 11D: Choose the suitable screws/anchors/hooks. The lengths of thesemust span the entire thicknesses of 1. the drywall 68, and 2. the bar 44or the bar 46 and an appropriate length of stem or hook must project outof the surface of the drywall 68. Drill appropriate pilot holes throughhole 62 of WA 59 at the fastening points 84 (no hole is needed throughhole 62 at the dummy fastening-point 86). Screw the screws/anchors/hooksat holes 62 with an appropriate length of stem or hook projecting out ofthe surface of the drywall. Attach your item to the projections ofscrews/anchors/hooks.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE

The Retro-Stud forms a support at a spot on drywall where no studpreviously existed. It is capable of being attached firmly on a wall orceiling made of standard drywall material. Thus it forms strong supportfor heavy items that the drywall itself cannot support for asufficiently long time. It is also superior to other available systemsfor items that are frequently pulled away from the attachment.

Retro-Stud is applicable to a number of other materials that, likedrywall, can constitute interior walls or ceilings of houses. Theseother materials include plasterboard, fiberboard or in some cases, evensheetrock. If the wall/ceiling material is soft enough such that theoperator can cut through the material relatively easily, a Retro-Stud isneeded regardless of the other attributes of the material.

The strength and dimensions of the material for making the Retro-Studcan be chosen according to the weight of the item. Therefore it canalways be sufficiently strong for mounting any item on the wall or forhanging any item from the ceiling. Any item that should ideally (fromthe point of view of weight and/or stability against movement) beattached to the existing stud, can be attached to the Retro-Stud withequal or greater confidence and safety.

The Retro-Stud can be installed at any area of the wall in anyorientation. Thus, in addition to its significant strength, it is also a“custom” stud. Using the Retro-Stud, one can attach any item to thewall/ceiling, easily meeting the demands of aesthetics or décor of theroom or functionality of the item.

In general, the opening cut in the drywall for the purpose of installingthe Retro-Stud remains behind, and therefore, hidden by the item that itsupports. If the opening is not hidden because of design of the item orthe position of the fastening points; patching the opening can easilyrestore the wall décor because it (the opening) is very small.

The installation of Retro-Stud requires very little expertise. Itinvolves common and simple tools and only the usual amount of force. Themechanism for manipulation of the Retro-Stud can involve wire or stringmade of any flexible and sufficiently strong material. For anchoring theRetro-Stud behind the drywall, mechanical clamps of the appropriatedesign or strong magnets or electromagnets can also be used, dependingon the material of the bar.

As mentioned earlier a Retro-Stud can be properly installed even on adamaged wall/ceiling without first repairing the damage. This Retro-Studcan be used for supporting a piece of drywall. This is useful forrepairing holes/damages on the drywall. For this purpose the dimensionsof this piece must be slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensionsof the hole. The piece can be nailed to or screwed on the Retro-Stud.This leaves very small gaps between the hole and the piece. As thesegaps are patched with ordinary patching materials, a seamless repair isachieved. Subsequent texturing and painting can restore the drywall toalmost the original condition.

It should be noted that in this method damaged drywall is repaired witha piece of drywall itself Several alternative methods of repairingdrywall damage are available. These methods do not employ a Retro-Studto abut to. Hence they involve use of a piece larger than the hole. Thiscompels one to use materials other than drywall which presentsadditional structural and finishing problems Thus the use of Retro-Studaffords an outcome that is closer to the original condition than thatachievable by using other methods.

The Retro-Stud employed for repairing the drywall damage can besubsequently used for fastening an item. If the fastening of an item isplanned or anticipated, the Retro-Stud used for repairing the holeshould be placed with the position of the item in mind.

Although the descriptions above contain many specifications, theseshould not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, butmerely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferredembodiments of this invention. For example, the bar can have othershapes and dimensions, can be made of other materials. Suitably designedmechanical, electronic, magnetic or electro-magnetic devices or adhesivematerials can be used for anchoring the Retro-Stud at the back surfaceof drywall. The design of the mechanical anchors can be other than thatof push pins.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

1. A method of firmly placing a strong solid bar on the back-surface ofa wall made of drywall for the purpose of firmly fastening an item tosaid wall, comprising the steps of: (a) making an opening in saiddrywall, (b) insuring that said opening has a dimension slightly largerthan the smaller dimension of said bar, but significantly smaller thanthe larger dimension of said bar, (c) holding flexible handling meanscoupled to said bar with one hand, (d) passing said bar through saidopening along said smaller dimension of said bar, (e) moving saidflexible handling means in the proper directions to position said bar inspecific orientation such that said larger dimension of said barprevents said bar from slipping back out through said opening, f)anchoring said bar at said position by firmly fixing said flexiblehandling means on the front-surface of said drywall, by plurality ofmechanical anchor means so that said bar is held firmly against saidback-surface of said wall, (g) fastening an item either directly to saidbar through said opening or to said bar through the material of saidwall, using preformed threaded holes for fastening on said bar and/ornewly drilled holes for fastening to said bar, using fastener means thatextend through the entire thickness of said drywall and said bar, (h)removing said anchor means, (i) removing the part of said flexiblehandling means that is sticking out of the edges of the base of saiditem, whereby, said item is firmly fastened to said bar rather thanbeing fastened solely to the relatively weaker material of said wall,with all or a very large portion of the materials of said bar and saidflexible handling means concealed.
 2. A method of claim 1 wherein saidanchor means are electrical rather than mechanical, whereby, saidflexible handling means can be completely removed prior to fasteningsaid item.
 3. A method of claim 1 wherein said anchor means areelectronic rather than mechanical, whereby, said flexible handling meanscan be completely removed prior to fastening said item.
 4. A method ofclaim 1 wherein said anchor means are magnetic rather than mechanical,whereby, said flexible handling means can be completely removed prior tofastening said item.
 5. A method of claim 1 wherein said anchor meansare electromagnetic rather than mechanical whereby, said flexiblehandling means can be completely removed prior to fastening said item.6. A method of claim 1 wherein said anchor means are adhesive materialsrather than mechanical, whereby, said flexible handling means can becompletely removed prior to fastening said item.
 7. A method of claim 1wherein said wall is made of other materials of similar strength as thatof said drywall.
 8. A method of firmly placing a strong solid bar on theback-surface of a drywall for the purpose of firmly fastening an item tosaid drywall, comprising the steps of: (a) making an opening in saiddrywall, and (b) insuring that said opening has a dimension slightlylarger than the smaller dimension of said bar, but significantly smallerthan the larger dimension of said bar, c) passing said bar through saidopening along said smaller dimension of said bar, (d) holding said barfrom the front-surface of said drywall by flexible handling means, e)moving said flexible handling means in the proper directions to positionsaid bar in specific orientation, such that said larger dimension ofsaid bar prevents said bar from slipping back out through said opening,and (f) anchoring said bar at said position by firmly fixing saidflexible handling means on said front-surface of said drywall, byplurality of mechanical anchor means so that said bar is held firmlyagainst said back-surface of said drywall, and (g) fastening said barthrough front-surface of said drywall using a plurality of attachmentmeans that extend through the entire thicknesses of said drywall andsaid bar, and (h) removing said mechanical anchor means, and (i)removing the part of said flexible handling means that is sticking outof said opening, whereby, said bar is firmly attached to said drywall,whereby, an item can be fastened to said bar using fastener means thatextend through the entire thicknesses of the base of said item and saiddrywall and said bar, such that said opening and said bar are completelyconcealed by said base of said item and only said item is visible to thenaked eye.
 9. A method of claim 9 wherein said fastener means have hooksat the external ends, and said fastener means extend through the entirethickness of said drywall and said bar with said hook portion stickingout of said front-surface of said drywall whereby said item can be hungfrom said hooks.
 10. A method of claim 1 wherein said drywallsconstitute vertical walls.
 11. A method of claim 1 wherein said drywallsconstitute horizontal ceilings
 12. A method of claim 8 wherein saiddrywalls constitute horizontal ceilings.
 13. A method of claim 8 whereinsaid drywalls constitute vertical walls.
 14. A method of claim 8 whereinsaid mechanical anchor means are anchor bars of specific materials andof predetermined length and width and thickness and said anchor bars areattached to said bar with threaded fasteners across said opening wherebysaid bar is anchored against said back surface of said wall.
 15. Anarticle of home improvement that is capable of being firmly installedbehind a surface of a structure made of material of low strength,comprising of (a) a bar of predetermined dimensions of length, width andthickness and made of suitable material possessing strength considerablygreater than that of said material of said structure, (b) with eyes insaid bar at specific positions for coupling plurality of pieces offlexible handling means of sufficient strength and length, to said bar,(c) with preformed holes in the said bar at specific positions, or withthe provision of drilling holes at desired positions in said bar,whereby, said bar can be slipped through an opening cut on said surface,and, can be positioned and oriented as desired at the back of saidsurface by moving said bar by hand using said flexible handling meansfrom the front of said surface, and, can be anchored at the desiredposition and orientation behind said surface by plurality of anchormeans and, whereby, said bar can act as a strong, stable and concealedfortification of said material of said surface, whereby, an item can befastened to said bar by fasteners means through said holes directlythrough said opening on said surface or through said material of saidstructure, whereby, provided that said fastener means traverse theentire thickness of said bar, said item is firmly and durably supportedfrom said surface.
 16. A method of claim 1 and 8 wherein said flexiblehandling means are colored.
 17. An article of claim 14 wherein saidopening is pre-existing instead of being cut and wherein said item is apiece of said material of said structure that is of the same size andshape as those of said opening, whereby said opening is repaired to acondition that is suitable for texturing and painting to the originalcondition of said surface of said structure.
 18. An article of claim 14wherein said structure constitute a wall.
 19. An article of claimwherein said structure constitute a ceiling.